Tag: Entertainment

Ever since he emerged as Mr Nigeria in 2010, Kenneth Okolie has gone on to have a great movie career. The actor has appeared in quite a number of big-budget movies such as The Royal Hibiscus Hotel, Gbomo Gbomo Express, among others. However, some people have also accused the actor of snubbing producers of movies that weren’t big budget.

Okolie dismissed this claim in a chat with Sunday Scoop. He said, “I don’t have any specific consideration before choosing scripts. Once the storyline is good and the script moves me, I would accept, whether it is a small-budget or big-budget movie. There are some small movies that I have done and there are big movies that I have considered as well. I always like to support people so that they can also be of help to me in the future when it’s time for my own project.”

Noting that he does not have a best performance, Kenneth said, “I put my whole heart in all the movies I’ve been involved in. I don’t have any particular one that stands out. I always make sure I deliver on every performance.”

On what he does to prepare himself before going on set, the model-turned-actor said, “I read my script and familiarise myself with the character I’m supposed to play. I have to immerse myself in the character before I can play it convincingly. I also pray.”

According to him, he has not left modelling for acting as some people think. “I haven’t fully left modelling for acting; it is still there and when it comes, I attend to it. I still do photo shoots and adverts for brands. However, acting comes more frequently,” he said.

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Actress, Lilian Afegbai, celebrated her birthday recently. While she had a good time, a photographer, Byjaru, almost spoilt the moment for her.

Afegbai allegedly booked Byjaru for a photo shoot that they were supposed to have in Abuja. However, after the actress flew to Abuja from Lagos, the photographer didn’t get herself together on time, and has still refused to send the pictures taken to Lilian days after her birthday.

Explaining her grudge to Sunday Scoop, she said, “Let’s even assume the money I paid her wasn’t enough, she should have just said she couldn’t do the job. If she knew she couldn’t pull it off, she should have let me know beforehand. After making me go all the way from Lagos to Abuja for a shoot, she disappointed me. Some of my loved ones even felt I was stupid for going all the way to Abuja to take pictures but there was a particular look I wanted to achieve and that was why I insisted. The most annoying thing is that she was just so rude and nonchalant about it. It is not acceptable the way some people act these days. We need to understand that having a strong work ethic is very important and professionalism is key. If you know you can’t do something, be upfront about it.”

Reacting to some people who have labelled her a troublemaker for taking the matter to the Internet, Lilian said, “Before I made the post online, I pleaded with her to do the right thing. But she sent me a voice note, sounding nonchalant about what she did. That was what got me upset. At the end of the day, people are entitled to their opinions and I am also entitled to my opinions; I am a human being too.”

On what is currently being done to remedy the situation, Afegbai said, “She said she’s not going to refund my money. The last time I called her phone, she hung up. If she’s annoyed that I went on social media, then she must be very silly. I went on the Internet because I was upset and I wanted people to know what she did so she wouldn’t do it to another person tomorrow. It was my birthday pictures and it was very important to me. I knew that it was going to make me happy and that’s why I decided to do it. I know at the end of the day, she’s going to pay my money. I’ll make sure she does that. I will still reach out to her but if she doesn’t budge, I will go to the police.”

Speaking on her current projects, Afegbai said, “I have been busy on the set of TV series, Ajoche. We shoot a lot every week and it takes a lot of my time. I also just finished work on my movie three days before I travelled to Abuja for the photo session.”

Though many actresses have complained that the industry doesn’t pay well, Afegbai says she has been able to get by. “I don’t limit myself. I’m also an entrepreneur. Acting for me is more about passion than money; I have always loved the profession. However, the industry does pay but as people, our needs are insatiable, so we always want more. I think people should have other streams of income though.”

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Many feared for rapper, Yung6ix’s well-being when he revealed in an Instagram post that he recently lost a lot of money on his bitcoin investment and that he was on the verge of depression. Considering the recent awareness about depression in the country, some concerned fans asked the rapper’s close friends to check on him and encourage him.

However, in a chat with Sunday Scoop, Yung6ix said he was not depressed.

“It was a sad experience and I’m just trying to let go at the moment. It was the worst experience ever. However, I am not depressed. I made the money I lost and I can make it over and over again. The hustle doesn’t stop. If you give into challenges, you will fall. But if you brace up and face them, you will rise way higher than you were before,” he said.

Offering advice to people from his experience, the rapper said, “My advice to people is this – don’t put your money in any crypto currency company that does not have an office or customer care service.”

Reacting to the claim that he doesn’t make his money from music, the rapper asked, “If music doesn’t pay my bills, what will pay it? God has been good to me. In the last 20 months, I have had three endorsement deals and four tours across six countries. I honestly cannot complain. The bitcoin was one of my best investments. I actually lost most of the money I got from the Patricia endorsement to it but it is a minor setback. God will not give you a challenge you cannot handle. I have been in worse situations and I overcame them.”

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Dr. Emeka Ogbolu is a consultant psychiatrist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, Lagos. He speaks on his career and life with KORE OGIDAN in this interview.

Tell us about your early days

I was born in Delta State in 1970. When I was three years old, my family relocated to Greensboro in North Carolina, USA. Then, we moved through Dallas, Texas, till we ended up in Washington DC. My early education started at H. D. Cooke, Washington D.C. I lived in the United States till 1978 when my dad got a job with a bank and came back to Nigeria. My father was a banker and my mother was a teacher.

Getting back to Nigeria, I completed my elementary education at Mary Magdalene Nursery and Primary School, Fadeyi, Lagos, and attended CMS Grammar School, Lagos, for my secondary education. I then attended the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, to study Medicine. I also did my housemanship programme there for one year.

What are the fondest memories of your childhood?

I have more fond memories of my childhood than bad. I come from a big family of six (I am the last) and we were very close-knit. We bonded and still continue to bond quite closely. Most of my fondest memories were that of growing up in Washington DC, USA. Those were quite fun and pleasant. Also, as a secondary school student in Nigeria, it was quite interesting, even though I did not like the idea of being thrust into a school I didn’t choose because we had to populate the new schools that Jakande was creating then. In the end, I think it turned out well. I do have some sad moments, just as everyone else does. However, I think my worst memory was losing my father to cancer. Aside that, I would say I had nice memories as a young child. Looking at how good my memories of childhood were, it is heartbreaking to see young kids having early childhood traumatic experiences or children who are not allowed to be children – being thrust into adulthood at very young ages.

Tell us about your journey into psychiatry?

Fortunately, UNILORIN had one of the most robust psychiatric exposures among the medical schools in Nigeria at the time. While other teaching universities ran their exposure for two weeks, UNILORIN did for six weeks and because of that, I got rather comfortable with mental health. That was how I got involved with psychiatry and qualified as a Fellow of the National Post-Graduate Medical College of Nigeria in June 2008. I decided to go into private psychiatric practice and got two jobs before eventually, I started running my own practice until I got appointed as a consultant psychiatrist with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital in 2010; and I have held this position till date.

As a young resident in psychiatry, I developed an interest in consultation – liaison psychiatry. This is the field that caters to people who have other medical conditions and are seen by other specialists, who then develop psychiatric manifestations. This area fascinated me the most alongside addiction psychiatry and emergency psychiatry. Getting back to the hospital after my residency programme, I decided to specialise in consultation – liaison and emergency psychiatry.

What has been your experience helping people with mental conditions?

Frankly, it has been an interesting journey. I have had few occasions where I had to deal with very aggressive and agitated patients but generally, it has been quite rewarding, though frustrating. It is nice to be able to help people get back on their feet and recover things that they had lost. Sometimes, patients, under the state of their illness, had destroyed relationships that were dear to them and after coming for treatment and recovering, those affected by their actions realise that what happened was caused by a condition above their power. Often times, we have been able to mend such severed relationships.

What measures are you putting in place to completely eradicate suicide in the country?

It is not a realistic target to eradicate suicide completely but it is more feasible to reduce the rate dramatically. Suicide is a human phenomenon that has been there for a very long time. As much as possible, we can minimise the tendencies that people have towards thinking that the best solution is to end their lives. The WHO has set its target to reduce the rate of suicide by ten per cent by 2020. Although it is impossible to completely eradicate suicide, it is important that we have preventive measures to reduce the rate of suicide. This is why we set up the Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative of LUTH and we have been able to reach many people and dissuade them from committing suicide. It is something I am passionate about. I received a call from a journalist about 10 years ago and was told that someone on the Maryland bridge in Lagos was about to jump off. I stopped by the place and saw the man stark naked, attempting to jump down. There were soldiers there who couldn’t do anything because he had threatened to jump if they came near him. I had to engage him and talk to him till he was rescued. That was when it struck me that there was still a way to help and save people who were already at that edge of committing suicide. Once, I was on radio talking about depression and there was a call that came in. The lady said that every symptom of depression we had just spoken about could be found in her. She had made up her mind to end her life until she heard that depression was treatable. People who die by suicide don’t typically want to die; they are just tired of living their lives the way they are living. If you are able to find out the problem with the way they are living and are able to help them, they would rather not die.

If you weren’t a psychiatrist, what else would you have been?

I would have been a DJ and I still practise that in my spare time, mixing music and beats. In fact, I have the DJ app on my laptop where I sometimes go to for fun and other times, to match music the way other DJs may not be able to, the way I like it. Music has always been something I have been passionate about. I come from a family of three girls and boys. When I was much younger, we used to pair up and dance with my dad and mum on some Saturdays. Music was a huge part of my life growing up.

Tell us about your wife.

I met my lovely wife at the university and that was where we started dating. She is very quiet and social. She is very hard-working and she works with an airline. We have been married for a while and are blessed with four kids. There is a huge gap in age between the third and the last kids and there is a funny story to that. I already had three sons and I wanted a daughter, but I wasn’t sure that at another try, I would have a girl. So, we kept procrastinating till we finally agreed and thankfully, it turned out to be a girl. I say thankfully because through my line of work, I have come to realise that it is good for men to have at least one daughter. This is because most times, when the fathers are old, it is the girls who have time to take care of them. The sons are usually more of the spenders, which is not what it should be. I have had elderly patients without daughters who didn’t have pleasant experiences in comparison to those who had daughters.

How do you like to relax?

I load up my DJ app, cover my ears with my headphones and just mix my music. I mix all kinds of music – Jazz, RnB, Hip-Hop, Soul and all sorts. I have a very large collection of music. I can mix music from years before the sixties. If I am not doing that, I like to watch TV series such as 24 and Game of Thrones. I seldom read but if I do, I read medical books, not novels. If there is a movie or a book, I will pick the movie.

How would you describe your style?

I like to dress casually. I like jeans and tee shirts but I prefer my tee shirts to have a collar. When I am not dressing casually, I like to look smart. I am not loud with my dressing. I sweat a lot; so, I don’t like to wear ties even though I think I look good in ties. I also like dark colours – black and blue.

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Popular actor, Akin Lewis, speaks to JOY MARCUS about life as an actor and finding love again

How would you describe your journey into the movie industry?

My journey into the industry was rough because my parents did not want me to go into acting but I still went ahead. I worked very hard for six years before I started being noticed. It was a journey full of twists and turns until I became very popular.

At what point did you discover your path in acting?

I started out very early by partaking in school plays while I was in primary school. When I got into secondary school, I became a member of the literary and debating society. I liked acting and expressing myself as a child.

Who gave you the first opportunity in your career?

I was given my first opportunity by Prof Bode Showande of the University of Ibadan. We had a group and the name of the group was Vilete Vision but I cannot remember the name of the first movie I acted in because it is such a long time. It was a television series and I can’t remember how much I was paid but I think the money was put back into the group. However, I was brought into stardom by acting in television series. I was in a comedy series titled Why Worry? It was a popular series in the eighties and nineties. Koko Close was also a popular TV series that got its audience glued to their TV sets.

What were some of the challenges you faced in the early years of your career?

There were a lot of challenges but I overcame them. Drama itself is tough but I studied it in school; so, I leveraged on the knowledge I had. There were also lots of great actors in the industry but I worked hard and God’s grace was there for me.

Why do you usually act as a rich man in movies?

If you see me in person, you will see that I look rich and I am also rich. Maybe that is why I always get the part of a rich man. However, I can act any role though I’m mostly asked to play characters that are rich. I have also acted the part of a poor man because I am one of the most highly trained actors in this country.

What are some of the things people don’t know about you?

What people don’t know about me, they will never know. I am afraid of heights; it is very bad for me. I still get worried and shiver each time I am about to fly but I still fly anyway. But it is always difficult for me.

Do you believe there is discrimination between the Igbo and Yoruba in Nollywood?

In Nigeria, there is discrimination everywhere. We need to grow up, be more responsible and put away negativity. I speak about six to seven international languages and I will have you know that language is just a tool that we use in acting. Acting is universal; so, I don’t think that the Yoruba or Igbo movie is different. It is just the tool that it is being expressed with that is different.

What are some of the challenges you face in the movie industry?

A long time ago, there were no funds in the movie industry. Right now, there are a lot of incompetent actors – people who don’t know their right from their left. However, I believe that with time, there will be improvement in the industry.

If you were not an actor, what would you be doing?

I would be an ambassador somewhere in the Diaspora or a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Do you have any regrets as an actor?

No, but there are times when I feel like doing something new. But I have never had regrets being an actor.

Being a handsome man, do you get advances from the opposite sex?

Yes; I get advances everywhere. I respect women a lot and they are a very large core of my fan base. I manage their advances wisely.

What is your view on the increase of divorce and separation among celebrity couples?

That is always the problem. So many marriages are breaking up every day and it is not just peculiar to celebrities alone. I think the churches and mosques have to do something about that. They have to look at their code of conduct and teaching so that they will educate intending couples on marriage. The religious houses shouldn’t shy away from the problem. They should think of ways to save more marriages from breaking up.

What is your take on divorce?

According to the Bible, nobody should divorce his wife except for the reason that was stated. But in the world of today, if a partner says he or she is tired and can’t continue with the relationship, there is nothing the other partner can do about it. In a case like that, you won’t have a choice but to leave them alone.

Considering that you are in your third marriage, don’t you feel that people will look at you as an unserious person?

People will look at you anyhow and say different things but I don’t care. If I have to stop, listen and react to everything that people say about me, then I won’t be anything in this world. There are reasons for everything that happens; so, I thank God. People will always abuse anything even if it is a dead tree. I know myself.

Despite having two failed marriages, what kept your belief in love?

Accept it or not, I believe in the marriage institution and I wasn’t the one that walked out of the marriages because the women didn’t behave well. Also, I believe in love; that is why I looked for a third wife. We met through friends and that was how it all started.

How did you capture her heart?

I am a lady’s man and I am very handsome. I gave her the ‘Yoruba angel’ style. She already had a crush on me; so, that made it easy for me to sweep her off her feet.

What is the best gift you have given to her?

That will be getting married to her; that’s what she told me. It wasn’t love at first sight because I had the opportunity to truly watch her well before making a move.

What was her reaction when you asked her to marry you?

She ran away. She was scared but we talked about it later. So, all her fears and worries disappeared.

How do you deal with controversies?

I don’t get into controversies. I will rather keep quiet than get into an unnecessary argument. But that doesn’t mean you should get into my space because if you do, I will give you a piece of my mind.

What are your aspirations?

I want to keep growing stronger because I am at the top of my career. I pray that God allows me to continue to remain relevant. Everyone wants to be at the top.

Which schools did you attend?

I had my elementary education in Ibadan. Then, I studied Dramatic Arts at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, Osun State. I also travelled abroad to further my study in dramatic arts, acting and directing.

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Nollywood actor, Adeleye Adeshile, popularly known as Leye Kuti, has debunked rumours going around that he acquired two new cars through fraudulent means.

After uploading the picture of two new cars said to belong to him on his Instagram page, some people insinuated that he must have got the money to acquire the cars through fraudulent means or by being a gigolo.

In a telephone conversation with Saturday Beats, the actor who is now based in the UK, said he made his money by working hard and not by defrauding people.

He recalled that when he was still acting in Nigeria, he had challenges paying his bills, so he had to open a boutique to augment his income.

“Some of the people who made comments said acquiring a car is not an achievement, I don’t mean to brag but I have other things that are worth more than that. One of the cars was my birthday gift, and the other one was a gift to my mother. That was why I bought two cars.

“My life doesn’t end on social media; I am a very private person. When I got broke, I was not able to keep up. Movies paid me less money than my business so I leveraged on the fame that came from movies to run my boutique. People always wanted to buy things from me because they knew me on screen.

“There are many luxury things I do that I don’t post on my social media platforms. Before I left Nigeria, some people thought I was a gigolo because of my lifestyle and the kind of cars I drove. Some of them also thought I was fraudulent, but I work hard for my money.

“I only shared my recent post because I wanted to motivate people with my story. They were questioning me because I said I moved to Egbeda, Lagos when things got bad for me. Many people do not even know that I was born into a rich family; my father has nine houses and one petrol station,” he said.

Adeshile also explained how he struggled to survive while he was broke; shedding more light on the reason he had to move to Egbeda after things became difficult for him financially. He noted that despite the fact that he was going through some economic constraints, he was still driving a luxurious car before he had an accident.

“When I moved to Egbeda, I was living a quiet life. There was even a time when I had no money and the only thing I had was a visa. It was even difficult for me to raise money to get a plane ticket. My family members bought a ticket for me and I was able to move out of the country.

“After a while, I moved back to Nigeria and immediately, I got an endorsement deal with a property firm in Abuja; this made me get back on track. I made plans and I finally moved back to the UK in 2016 to continue work. I got a good paying job in London and I was still acting, which is where the money came from.

“The period I moved to Egbeda, I was still driving a 2012 convertible, even though I did not have enough money. In the middle of these challenges, I had a terrible accident with my car; it rammed into a truck on Fatai Atere Road in Mushin.

“Things just got worse for me; movies were not really paying my bills but it opened other doors for me as an actor. In the middle of all these, I had a child in England so I had to cater for her; the bills were too much for me. I could not keep up.

“In a week, I had to send a minimum of £500 to my child; money was not coming in because people owed me a lot while I was running my boutique. I uploaded the pictures of my cars to appreciate God and encourage people who have given up,” he said.

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In a recent chat with veteran actor, Adebayo Salami, popularly known as Oga Bello, he noted that Africans were rapidly losing their culture and identity. He noted that by imbibing the western culture, Africans, especially Nigerians, had made their marriages become prone to problems.

“As an African man, I must confess that we have lost our culture and that is the truth. We are emulating the western world too much and that is why we have so many problems in marriages today.

“If we go by the way our forefathers treated their wives and coordinated their homes, you would see that the things that are happening in the homes of young men and women ought not to happen. Do not emulate the western world,” he said.

Speaking about the concept of feminism, Bello agreed that women should be given only 40 per cent role in government.”

Popular for his roles in feature movies, the ace actor revealed why he was hardly seen in television series and soap operas.

He said, “Maybe they refuse to invite me to participate in their TV series. I have produced some series but no one has invited me. I do not know why; maybe they are afraid of my acting prowess or they feel that I would not interpret their scripts well. I do not know.

“I am also a very busy person and they might have considered my tight schedule. However, if I see a good script, I would accept it.”

The veteran actor, who recently partnered StarTimes to produce a 26-episode TV series, was eager to speak about his recent project. Bello disclosed that his partnership with StarTimes on this project was borne out of his desire to promote Nigerian culture through the production of educative and enlightening movies and series that speak to everyone in the society.

“Alagbara is a beautifully crafted indigenous series that sheds light on the lives of different men from all walks of life and how they are controlled, manipulated, influenced, and reshaped by the women in their lives. “Naturally, I always base my stories on social issues. The topics discussed in the series can be relatable to the marital lives of eight out of 10 couples that see it,” he added.

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While their English-speaking counterparts in the Nigerian movie industry spend hours in the gym burning unwanted calories and building their biceps, it seems that actors in the Yoruba-speaking sector of the industry are not bothered about buffing up.

In a recent chat with Saturday Beats, popular actor, Funsho Adeolu, said most English-speaking actors had a six-pack because they are not really actors but models.

“They have a lot of time to do exercises. They are models and not really actors; I am not joking. A busy actor would only think of his health and do the normal exercise to keep fit. What am I using a six-pack for? I want to dress and be seen as a role model.

“In the Yoruba-speaking movie setting, when you get to a particular age, you would not be given the role of a small boy so I do not need a six-pack. By the time you keep a six-pack, it gets to a point where it turns to a nonsense pack because they would not use it again. The only thing is to live a healthy life.

“When you see that you are getting obese, work on it. I used to be a model but I did not have a six-pack. I learnt taekwondo as well. I am not saying having a six-pack is bad or that it is bad to look nice. If I have to take a picture, I can easily tuck in my tummy.

“I started from the English-speaking genre and then came to the Yoruba-speaking part of the industry. I am more comfortable with the Yoruba-speaking sector of the industry because I learn a lot here. In the English-speaking sector, I do not learn anything,” he said.

Speaking on the likely problems of marriages involving celebrities, the actor revealed that as a little child, he had vowed that he would never have a broken marriage.

He said, “I decided when I was a child that I would not have a broken home because I grew up in one. I said that my children would grow up to see both their parents together till we die. I thank God that we have never had any crisis that has shaken the foundation of our marriage.

“Women like to be seen like they own the house and I allow it because I know that I am the breadwinner of the family. I do not lord it over my wife; she is my friend. If anything causes a rift between us, we do not sleep until we talk about it. Once we settle the rift, we settle it ‘properly’ as husband and wife and in the morning, everything is okay. She would smile before she leaves the house.”

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In an era where some young ladies believe it pays to date married men, popular actress, Dayo Amusa, has advised them to desist from such act. While speaking to Saturday Beats, the actress noted that such ladies should remember that someday, they would be a wife and mother and would not want the same thing to happen to them.

“Frankly, as a public figure and based on what I stand for, I would not encourage a young lady to chase after married men. Some might say that married men would take good care of them, but it is wrong. It is not something I would encourage the youth to do.

“Also, I do not think that having numerous boyfriends gives you the privilege of having a perfect guy as it could even cause confusion at some point,” she said.

The actress, who doubles as a singer, told Saturday Beats that there was really nothing wrong with it if some actors chose to live fake lives, while describing their business as make-believe.

She said, “Although social media is a platform that is meant to provide opportunities for people, sadly, most people are misusing it. I do not see the big deal in any artiste going on social media to live a particular life because it is called showbiz. You have to ‘show’ for the business to grow.

“You have to brand yourself and make people see that you can promote their products well through the lifestyle you depict. If that is what people mean by fake life then it is fine. As an artiste, we live in a make-believe world which means that 80 per cent of the things you see us do on screen and even on social media are make-believe.

“It is totally different from my personality. I might be at home and choose to tie a piece of cloth round my waist and drink garri. But if I would go on social media, I would not want to do that because some of my fans would be disappointed.

“I am not advising young women to pretend to be who they are not. What I am saying is that as an artiste, we need to ‘show’ for the business to grow. I am a very realistic person and I do not see myself as one of those fake ones.”

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Patrick Onyeke, popularly known as Mr Patrick, is a comedian. He started as a stand-up comedian over a decade ago and with the advent of social media, he has some unique comedy skits online. He tells TIMILEYIN AKINKAHUNSI about how he has been able to gain and sustain his fans on a global platform

You have a very large fan base on social media, how did you start your social media skits?

Before I started social media skits, I used to be very frustrated. Most of the skits I do now were written about 10 years ago but there was no money to shoot them. I am happy there is a platform where I can easily showcase my talent. With the help of social media, I am now on a global platform.

I have always taken my career seriously; I knew I would be a successful comedian so I invested all my time and energy in growing my career. There were distractions, but I didn’t allow them get to me. Comedy is a lot easier now compared to when I started.

Do you think some of your fans are from the “good old days”?

I started with the character ‘Ultimate Mallam’ in the industry; I evolved from Ultimate Mallam to Mr. Patrick. Some of my followers always tell me they know me as Ultimate Mallam.

You have a big tummy, and it has become your signature look over the years, do some people troll you because of that?

My big tummy is my trademark, people laugh at it but at the end of the day, I use it to interpret my character. The Mr Patrick character is a dumb character.

I go to the gym to stay fit, but anytime I want to shoot, I don’t go to the gym to make sure my tummy gets big and then after the shoot, I hit the gym to get my body back in shape.

How do your fans react when they see you?

Most of them say I don’t look serious, but I am just a happy and a jolly good fellow.

Do your wife and children also see you as a comedian at home?

Yes, they always laugh anytime they are around me. I need to make my family happy first before making the world happy. They have come to accept me the way I am. They are used to my funny nature.

Do you receive praises from your fans on social media?

Yes, I get a lot of messages from people; they tell me I have helped them to relieve stress at work. There was a particular time a bank manager told me that anytime he was stressed in his office, he would go to the toilet just to watch my skits to relieve stress. People in Nigeria tell me I help them relieve all the stress in the country. Some of my fans tell me I help them come out of depression.

You are currently in the US, where can you say you have a larger fan base – Nigeria or US?

I have the largest fan base in Nigeria, followed by other African countries. I also have fans in the US.

How do you deal with advances from female fans?

It is normal for entertainers to be admired by women; I try to keep my relationship with them platonic. As entertainers, our lifestyle is similar to that of politicians so we have to manage our fans properly.

Has your presence on social media open doors for you?

Yes, it has, I am a brand ambassador, and people call to get advert space on my page regularly. I also use my platform to promote my movies.

Have you ever wished you were as popular in real life as you are on social media?

Interestingly, people recognise me outside; I have seen myself go from one generation to another generation seamlessly. I started my career a long time ago when there was nothing like social media platforms. I appreciate the fact that I have seen myself grow with the trend because I know many of my colleagues that we started together back then who are no longer relevant.

However, I am conscious of the fact that a time will come when all these social media platforms will go into oblivion; but I am ready to evolve with the changes that life and technology bring because I have to stay relevant.

You are one of the old names we have in the entertainment industry in Nigeria, in your view, is there a difference between how comedy was done in those days and now?

There is a huge difference; in those days, comedy was raw. But now, we are in the era where people steal jokes. I always tell people that comedy is vast; people can explore any genre they are interested in. I try to advise the younger ones to think and find where they fit into and explore it. I was one of the people who started skits in Nigeria which is plastic comedy, one of the genres that many people explore now. People do more of comedy skits than stand-up these days. One thing affecting the industry is that people jump on the bandwagon because people always want to imitate what their colleagues are doing, instead of carving out a niche for themselves. There are many ways to comedy that people can explore.

Have you had reasons to block people on your social media platforms?

I don’t like blocking people who troll me because doing that is like blocking them from their stupidity. There was a time someone insulted me on my page and few days later, he begged me for money.

I don’t know if some people are bipolar in Nigeria because of the way they talk. There are more cyberbullies in Nigeria than the fans I have in America because over here, they are more constructive in their comments. Even if a skit is not funny, they will still find a way to encourage you.

Do you think you would have done better with your skits if you were based in Nigeria?

I am a global citizen; I visit Nigeria frequently. I shuttle between the US and Nigeria.

The advantage I have in America is that Internet access is better there than it is in Nigeria. I shoot my skits easily here without any form of disturbance and the ambience is conducive. If I were in Nigeria, I might be harassed by thugs to give tips and the likes when I need to shoot my skits.

There was a time I shot some skits in Nigeria and I went to give some television stations to air them, but they told me my skits were not funny. Surprisingly, the same people now air my skits.

When you shoot your skits on the streets of America, how do people react?

Compared to Nigeria, people in the US tend to mind their business, they don’t gather and watch.

What skit will you say made you gain popularity on social media?

I will say it is the ‘Pop champagne’ video I did. The video took me all over the world. It made me feel good and I was motivated to do more skits.

What were the reactions you got when you did your first skit?

I did my first skit a long time ago and I got a lot of encouragement from people.

Which of your social media platforms do you have the strongest presence?

That should be Instagram and Facebook. There was a time one of my skits gained about 8 million views on Facebook. I also have a strong presence on Youtube.

What inspires the content of your skits?

I write most of them in my spare time. I am always inspired by the happenings around me. I believe that in every situation, there is always a comic angle to it. Some of my skits are from my personal experiences and some are from other people’s experiences.

How much does it cost you to do a skit?

A skit costs me close to $1,000. I ensure I use good cameras to shoot my skits; I shoot my videos in high-definition so that I can always air them on TV.

Have any of your skits got you into trouble?

Some people call me to threaten me about my skits, and they tell me to take it down. However, I can’t remember any particular skit that attracted threats. Generally speaking, I have learnt not to cross my boundary.

Can you share some memorable moments you’ve had with your fans?

Out of excitement, they always scream when they see me. Some of them tell me my face alone makes them laugh. I think it is part of my selling point.

Do you think the social media is a viable way for youths to make money?

Yes, people can use it to their advantage to earn a living.

Are you working on getting your Instagram account verified?

Yes, I am working on that.

You were recently nominated for the category of best online comedian, how do you feel about this?

I am happy I was nominated; at least, it shows I am really working. I am proud of myself because I am still relevant even though I started comedy a long time ago.

Did you open your social media account with the aim to be popular?

Yes, the aim of social media is to socialise; entertainment is very easy now, unlike the days when I started comedy when getting a viable platform to showcase my talent was the major problem. Back then, sometimes I had to travel far to look for shows to perform and my crowd was limited. Social media is like a centre stage for me now; I don’t need to hustle for shows for the world to see me.

What keeps your social media platform alive?

The industry is all about staying consistent, going with the trend and thinking outside the box. It is all about technology and talent.

What are some of the challenges you have faced since you started comedy skits on social media?

Before the advent of comedy skits on social media, I never experienced any form of cyberbullying. But now, I have to deal with it. They are always there to criticise my work.

How do you handle cyberbullies? How do they make you feel?

They make me feel happy. Anytime I get a negative comment, I always feel relevant. I try to change their negative energy to a positive one with the way I perceive their comments.

The truth is that sometimes, when they criticise me on social media, it makes me go back to the drawing board to make things better. Some are destructive, while some are constructive. I have developed a thick skin against them. So I see their comments as a motivation to improve myself.

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